Manny Pacquiao: Settles on Fourth Marquez Fight for December

Jeff Bottari/Getty ImagesPacquiao will return in December and face rival Juan Manuel Marquez.

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For weeks now it has been known that boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao would return to the ring in December at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. What wasn't known was who he would face.

Finally, that appears settled, too.

ESPN.com reports that Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum, in Vegas for this weekend's Chavez vs. Martinez middleweight fight, was also working on locking down terms with Juan Manuel Marquez for a fourth fight.

"My goal is to finalize the Marquez fight," Arum told ESPN. He also added that he had to finalize details with members of Pacquiao's team.

For his return, Pacquiao and his team had compiled a list of three potential opponents that included Marquez. The other two were Timothy Bradley, who defeated Pacquiao by extremely controversial decision in June, and Miguel Cotto.

Various outlets have reported that Pacquiao preferred to face Cotto in a rematch of a 2009 fight he won by 12th round TKO. But Cotto instead elected to challenge Austin Trout for the WBC 154 pound title in December.

With few fans desiring to see a rematch with Bradley, that left Marquez as the only viable option.

Pacquiao and Marquez have faced each other three times in the ring. Pacquiao has won two, though both in highly controversial fashion, and one fight ended in a draw.

The fight will take place on December 8th at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and will be televised on HBO Pay Per View.